[BUG] `npm view` returning string without quotes with version 10.8.0

[byCedric]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

When using npm view <package> <selector> --json, I expect only to receive JSON data types. Unfortunately, for npm@10.8.0 that's not the case anymore.

Running npm view expo-template-bare-minimum@sdk-51 dist.tarball --json now yields the tarball string, without quotes, making it not a JSON result anymore.

Expected Behavior

When using this same command with npm@10.7.0, the response is wrapped in quotes, making it a valid JSON response (or at least parsable through JSON.parse(...).

Steps To Reproduce

Result that's not parsable with JSON.parse:

1. $ npm i -g npm@10.8.0
2. $ npm -v → Should return 10.8.0
3. $ npm view expo-template-bare-minimum@sdk-51 dist.tarball --json
   → Should return https://... (without quotes)

Result that is parsable with JSON.parse:

1. $ npm i -g npm@10.7.0
2. $ npm -v → Should return 10.7.0
3. $ npm view expo-template-bare-minimum@sdk-51 dist.tarball --json
   → Should return "https://..." (with quotes)

Environment

• npm: 10.8.0
• Node.js: 22.2.0
• OS Name: macOS Sanoma 14.4.1
• System Model Name: MacBook Pro (14" 2023)
• npm config:

; "user" config from /Users/cedric/.npmrc

//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken = (protected)
store-dir = "/Users/cedric/.pnpm"

; node bin location = /Users/cedric/.nvm/versions/node/v22.2.0/bin/node
; node version = v22.2.0
; npm local prefix = /Users/cedric/Desktop
; npm version = 10.8.0
; cwd = /Users/cedric/Desktop
; HOME = /Users/cedric
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[lukekarrys]

I introduced this in #7513. Will have a PR to fix it shortly.